I AM RAW

So it's that time of year for me...to be as close to 100% RaW as possible!! It's not even so much a choice anymore - when the temperature rises, my body only craves freshly squeezed green juices, avocados, zucchini, kale, tomatoes, asparagus and anything plant-based I can get from the local pesticide-free, Monsanto-free (I hate to even give this evil corporate nightmare a capital "M") farmers. Whenever possible, I URGE you to buy your produce from local Farmer's Markets or co-ops. You can also join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and have a box of seasonal veggies delivered to you during the growing season (www.localharvest.org/csa/). Unless you have your own garden of tasties, this is the next best thing!

During the cooler months, I usually maintain an 80% raw lifestyle but I do respect and listen to my body and if it wants some cooked grains, beans and steamed veggies, I oblige. Fall and winter sway me towards a more Raw/Vegan/Macrobiotic path and it works just as well for me.

I have found that since I have eliminated ALL animal products (including dairy), refined sugars and processed foods, my body very LOUDLY tells me what to put in it AND I actually listen because I trust that it loves me and wants what is best for me.

That being said, when I was not so "clean", it INSISTED I eat Twizzlers, Gummy Bears, ProMax Bars and the like...and I paid a price for that. I would have daily sugar comas and never felt good yet I would continue abusing myself because I was responding to an addiction. The additional "bonus" is that I would be on such a sugar high that I could probably run 6 miles fueled only on a "Vitamin" water (sugar content in this drink is astounding) and I'd actually lose weight! BECAUSE I WAS KILLING MYSELF!! When the crash would come, I'd turn to salt in all forms to "balance" me out and bring me down.

What a nightmare. I so desperately wanted to go to rehab for my food addictions but I couldn't fathom going cold turkey! Today I am so GRATEFUL that I am off that roller coaster. I NEVER take for granted that I could easily succumb back to that living hell if I choose to make bad choices. So I choose LIFE. And today, I eat RAW, life-giving, regenerative foods.

I am questioned about the price to be raw...my response is always that it actually costs me LESS money because I do not experience all the cravings associated with unhealthy eating patterns, thus more junk-food purchases. Need we discuss the price of Starbucks and Pinkberry? Enough said.

Yesterday I feasted on an avocado, spiraled zucchini and a farm fresh tomato for about $4.00 (I even have leftovers). I had a 16 oz fresh squeezed "Green Lemonade" from Whole Foods for $4.99 and 2 Vitashakes (Sunrider) with Coconut Juice which cost me about $3.00 each. So for $15.00 I was completely nutrient saturated, my appetite was satisfied and I woke up (or shall I say bounced out of bed) with a very flat tummy as an added bonus. Not only is that not a lot of money for a days worth of great food, it is by far more costly to eat off the highly advertised $1 dollar menus at your local fast food joints followed by a trip to pharmacy for antacids, pain killers, gas relief, etc to MASK the damage you are doing by dousing your body with acid-inducing DEAD food with ZERO nutrient value.

Start your day with a beautiful whole fruit...watermelon, oranges, grapefruits, apples (try to choose one fruit to eat as much as you want all by itself to avoid bad food combining) and feast on beautiful GREEN salads and veggies all day. You'll never have to worry about calories, ounces, fat content and all the things we waste our time on because your body knows exactly what to do with WHOLE living food. That is the simple way to begin a raw journey ...you can also dine out at the numerous raw restaurants opening more and more frequently (check out www.happycow.net for your area) or learn to make decadent raw-licious meals that would seriously shock you into submission.

This is the lifestyle that works for me. So I choose to share it with you in the hopes that it may lead you in a direction of Optimum Health. You know what is best for you and I wish you nothing but what is best for YOU!! Try it out and if you love what it does for your body like I do, you will hopefully stick to it...there's no reason to wait til dis-ease starts knocking at your temple door!!

Love Your Body, Love Your Planet, Love Each Other...